Developer Presses For Meteorological Tower, Despite Opposition

But
first he wants to see if there would even be enough wind at the site to make
the project viable.

Eolian
Renewable Energy of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, is considering
building 35 turbines in remote northern Caledonia and Essex counties. If built, it would be Vermont's largest ridgeline wind project.

The
town of Newark recently changed its town plan to prohibit wind
measuring towers, the first step toward a commercial wind development.

Eolian
CEO Jack Kenworthy says the local vote was premature. He says the company
first wants the chance to test the wind on the ridgelines, and then design the
project.

"In our view, it's a fair
compromise to say look, 'We'd like the opportunity to be able to present a plan
to the town that shows the type of facilities we may propose,'" Kenworthy said, "because of course
we're not even certain that ultimately we'd be making a proposal in each of
these towns so that we can talk about what the actual facilities would be,
where they'd be located, what they'd look like."

Kenworthy says Eolian also wants the chance to talk to local communities about
the money the company would pay towns for hosting the project.